Pin-guard.



J. H. ANDERTON.

PIN GUARD.

APPLICATION FILED D110. 15, 1911.

1,068,833. 1 Patented July 29,1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' JOHN H. ANDERTON, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

PIN-GUARD.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN H. ANDERTON, a citizen of the United 'States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Pin-Guard, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in pin guards.

The object of the present invention 1s to improve the construction of pin guards, and to provide a simple, inexpensive and eflicient device, designed for use on hat pins and other pins where it is desired either to prevent contact with the point of the pin, or loss of the same, and capable of housing the point of the pin and of firmly gripping and effectually preventing the withdrawal of the same by a direct pull on the pin.

iVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportlon, slze and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claim, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing :-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a guard, constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a hat pin. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the guard and a portion of the pin. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is a side view of the resilient clamping sleeve or member. Fig. 5 is an end View of the same. Fig. 6 is a side elevation, showing the pin guard ornamented and applied to the point of a hat pin.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 designates a shell or casing of substantially cylindrical form, constructed of any suitable material and open at one end and closed at the other. The shell or casing is provided at its closed end with an end wall 2, preferably consisting of a disk of soft copper, or other suitable material, adapted to form a stop for the point 3 of a hat pin 1 without dulling or otherwise injuring the point. The end wall 2 may be Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 29, 1913.

Application filed December 15, 1911. Serial No. 665,950.

secured within the shell or casing in any suitable manner, and the said shell or casing is provided adjacent to its open end with a tapered portion 5, and it has an annular flange 6, extending inwardly at the said open end. i

The shell or casing receives a tubular slidable clamping sleeve or member 7, preferably constructed of resilient material, such as spring brass, steel, or the like, and provided with longitudinal slots 8, extending from the inner end of the sleeve or member to within a short distance of the outer end thereof and dividing the sleeve or member into a plurality of clamping jaws or portions 9, which are adapted to grip the pin 4, as hereinafter fully explained. The tubular clamping sleeve or member is pro vided at its inner end with. an enlargement 10, through which the slots extend and 'which forms terminal bosses or enlargements for the jaws, the terminal bosses or enlargements being adapted to engage with the interior of the tapered portion 5 of the shell or casing, whereby the jaws are forced inwardly into engagement with the hat pin.

The clamping sleeve or member is introduced into the shell or casing before the end wall 2 is placed in posit-ion, and the outer end of the sleeve or member 7 extends throughthe open end of the shell or casing, and is equipped with a collar 11, suitably secured to the sleeve adjacent to the outer end of the slots and forming a head or annular enlargement by means of which the sleeve or member may be readily forced inwardly against the action of a coiled spring 12 to release the hat pin. The outer collar 11 stiffens and strengthens the clamping sleeve. The coiled spring 12, which may be constructed of any suitable material, is housed within the shell or casing and is in terposed between the end wall 2 thereof and the inner enlarged end of the clamping sleeve or member, and it is of suflicient strength to force the latter downwardly into engagement with the tapered portion of the shell or casing, whereby the split portions or jaws of the clamping sleeve or member are caused to grip the hat pin. When the hat pin is not in the guard, the spring will force the clamping sleeve or member outwardly until the slotted portions or aws contact with one another. The interior of the inner ends of the clamping sleeve or member will then be of less diameter than that of the hat pin and of less diameter than the outer end of the sleeve or member. When the hat pin is inserted a certain distance, it will fit tightly against the interior of the clamping sleeve or member at the inner portion thereof, and when further pressure is exerted on the pin and the guard, the clamping sleeve or member will open suiiiciently to permit the pin to pass throughit to the soft copper end wall 2. Upon releasing the pin and the guard, the coiled spring 12, which has been more or less compressed, will force the clamping sleeve or member outwardly against the tapered por tion of the shell or casing, and will thereby cause the sleeve or member to grip the pin firmly and securely with a force depending on the strength of the spring. If a pulling force be exerted on the pin, it will result in tightening the guard and the greater the pull the tighter the pin is clamped This operation will prevent the guard from falling off and the pin from being withdrawn by a pulling force exerted either on the shell or on the pin. The guard may be easily and quickly removed by sliding the clamping sleeve inwardly into the shell or casing. This operation will permit the jaws of the sleeve to expand and release the pin, which may then be readily withdrawn from the guard.

The pin guard may be finished in any desired manner, and may be either ornamental or plain, and in Fig. 6 of the drawing the pin guard is equipped with an ornamental head 13, which may be either formed integral with the shell or casing, or be constructed therefrom and secured to the same in any suitable manner. The ornamental head 13 is located at the opposite end of the hat pin from the head 14- thereof, both the head of the hat pin and the guard contributing to the ornamentation of the pin.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is I A pin guard comprising a substantially cylindrical casing having one end open and tapered from a point in rear of the open end to said end and having an annular flange extending inwardly at said open end, a disk made of softer material than the casing and secured at the other end of the casing and providing a stop for the-point of a pin, a tubular clamping sleeve formed of resilient material slidable through the open end of the casing and provided with a series of longitudinal slots fora portion of its length to form a plurality of clamping jaws adapt-- ed to grip the pin, said jaws being provided with terminal annular bosses adapted to engage the interior of the tapered portion;

of the casing to force the jaws inwardly into engagement with the pin, a coiledspring outer end of the sleeve beyond the split portion thereof.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. ANDERTON.

lVitnesses:

D. E. NORTIIFIELD, RAYMOND A. I'IOPKINS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

